Gryffindor, the ones with a keen sense of right and wrong. They seek to redress injustice and avenge those wrongfully done. They have a solid moral compass and act out of bravery. The house of the lion is the last to be expected to house a spy in their ranks. Integrity was one of the core values of Gryffindor, as well as justice. But then again, it all aligns with your own morals. If someone in the house believed what was being done by the Dark Lord was correct? Then the Gryffindor morals could very well be one and the same.
It was hard to wrap one's mind around. The idea of someone being so close to her, snooping around her very own home with her best friends. Yet it almost made sense. No one would suspect someone in Gryffindor to be Voldemort's spy. It was a sinister plan that would dupe a large number of people, possibly even Dumbledore himself.
-----
"What?" Lyra gawked, staring at the Slytherin across from her.
It was hard to take Regulus seriously, though. He had a moustache of whipped cream along his upper lip, and Lyra couldn't deny it was adorable. Something so heavy is being said by someone who hasn't realized there was something on his face. Snapping her mind back to attention, Lyra placed her drink down and shifted forward, leaning over the rickety table.
"You're joking, right?" Lyra whispered, eyes scanning Regulus's as he finally realized the mess he made, wiping his mouth, "Who?"
"I don't know," Regulus admitted, his voice coming out in a breathy sigh, "I just know that they're there."
"How do you know?" She asked, head tilting to the side as she watched his eyes that scanned around them.
Regulus let out another sigh before tugging a piece of parchment from his pocket, sliding it over to the blonde. Cocking an eyebrow, Lyra picked up the paper and unfolded it quietly, her own eyes darting around to make sure no one else was around. Whatever it was that Regulus was getting at, Lyra wouldn't let it be known to others. He seemed like a good man, and James trusted him, so there was no reason Lyra wouldn't.
'I've been playing double agent against the Dark Lord.
I'm trying to take him down from the inside and get information on his plans.
But I need your help doing so, and I need you to try and find who this rat is.
You can't tell anyone. Not Sirius, not James, not Lily, not Remus. No one can know.
If we can find out who it is, we may save a lot of lives together. But it has to be a secret operation, Lyra. Rip this note up if you'll do it.'
The blonde released an exasperated breath, folding the paper once more and tearing it up into small pieces. Regulus smiled at her actions, taking the answer with a gleeful acceptance. Lyra whispered a few curses underneath her breath before flicking her hand, the paper disappearing into dust and falling onto the floor. Silence fell over the two as Lyra stared at her lap, contemplating what she had just agreed to take part in.
She could go down as a hero if she did this. Lyra Potter wouldn't just be James Potter's twin sister or just another Gryffindor. She would be a life-saver and someone who did all that she could to take down Voldemort. From the blush that coated Regulus's cheeks, she was also sure that he meant business with it. After all, if he was a true Death Eater, then he wouldn't want Lyra to figure out who the mole was.
"Is that the only reason you asked me to meet you?" Lyra whispered, lifting her eyes to meet the green ones of the boy across from her.
Regulus's hearty laugh echoed around them, and Lyra felt silly for even asking the question. Of all of the things she could have asked while talking about undertaking a mission for the war going on, she wondered if he really liked her or if it was a ploy. To be fair, she really wanted to know if it was Regulus Black writing the letters to her. The writing of the note he gave her was similar, but she destroyed it too fast for her to truly compare. Plus, she would have needed to see the other messages she received to give a proper analysis. Then again, she was no forensic graphologist either.
"I also wanted to spend time with you," Regulus chuckled, "And you're cute. But I have a sneaking suspicion my brother would kill me for more than one reason if this went further."
Lyra tilted her head to the side and gave him a sideways grin, "Probably. Now, want to tell me who you're suspecting?"
Regulus sighed and leaned back in his chair. From the look in his eyes, Lyra knew it wouldn't be good. The heavy silence returned and draped over the two like a weighted blanket, leaving the older of the two anxious in her seat. She never knew what was going on in the heads of either of the Black brothers, but Regulus was even more challenging to read than his older counterpart. He was more calculated and careful with the words he chose. Even the way he moved seemed planned out, leaving Lyra to wonder if she made the right choice.
"Pierre Montagne."
Well, she definitely wasn't expecting that.
-----
Lyra didn't let a single person get a word in or even approach her as she tore through the halls of Hogwarts towards the Gryffindor common room. The picture frame swung open, and she was met with laughter from all of her friends in front of the fire. If she stormed past them all without saying a word, suspicions would arise, and people would worry. So instead, the blonde calmed herself and let her breathing return to normal before walking around the corner.
There sat the man himself, perched on a throne of arrogance. He was telling a story, and everyone around him seemed engaged and had their sole focus on him. All except Sirius, of course. She didn't expect anything different from him. No matter how much James and everyone tried, the eldest Black son refused to get anywhere close to the French student.
Lyra considered the idea that perhaps Sirius was aware of his brother's thoughts. But the note Regulus gave her told her not even to mention it to Sirius. But then again, what was a Slytherin if not thorough with their plans. Especially when it came to something that could potentially benefit them in the long run.
"Lyra!" Pierre called out, breaking everyone's attention.
The green-eyed Gryffindor smiled softly, attempting to portray a relaxed facade before walking towards the group, hands stuffed into her pockets. She slid into her usual seat in between Lily and Pierre, leaning back casually. She could act normal; it wouldn't be too hard. But Lyra also wasn't the most outstanding actress. But this was a matter of life and death for people in the future. If she was able to snuff out a possible rat in their midst, she'd do it.
"Where were you this morning?" Pierre asked, his French drawl pulling her right back in with his charm, "Hoped to see you at Quidditch practice."
Lyra sucked in a faintly panicked breath, head spinning with possible excuses for why she wasn't around earlier. She could say she was sick, but then she would have come down from her dorm, not the entrance. Perhaps studying with McGonagall, but the Professor had a habit of going to the practices. Everyone's eyes turned on the blonde, wondering what she thought as she continued to formulate an excuse.
"I joined the Frog Choir," Lyra blurted out, throwing her hands up as though she was just caught, "Yeah, I joined the Frog Choir."
"Ah, thought you were just studying," Pierre chuckled, and Lyra wanted nothing more than to smack herself.
That would have been a much more believable excuse. Not to mention, she would have been able to run with it. Perhaps the Frog Choir excuse would come in handy whenever she met Regulus again. Either way, Pierre believed her, and that's what mattered. The other boys in the room seemed more conspicuous and unsure that Lyra was honest with them. Especially Sirius, who stared at her with his eyebrows furrowed and eyes searching.
"It looked fun," Lyra continued, running her hands up and down her thighs, "Don't tell me that you guys have never been curious about it."
"Maybe the rest of us should join," Sirius piped up, eyes still trained on the lying lips of Lyra Potter, "If it's as fun as you say."
"No," Lyra snapped out, earning a shocked look from the long-haired boy, "I mean, no," she repeated, her voice softer, "No, Flitwick only had one more spot. Plus, he really doesn't like you, Sirius. I mean, I can't blame him."
"Ah, what do you mean?" Sirius grinned, standing to his feet from his spot on the other couch, "I'll go talk to him now."
Before Lyra could protest, Sirius was off around the corner to the exit. The blonde cursed and jumped to her feet, quickly following after the Gryffindor. She glanced over her shoulder as the others stood to watch, all probably hoping for a fight between the two. Lyra knew it wouldn't help her cause if she got into it with Sirius in front of everyone, so when she caught up to him, she grabbed his elbow with a vice grip.
"What are you doing?" Lyra muttered as she tugged him through the exit, pushing him around the corner.
"Going to talk to Flitwick about the Frog Choir," Sirius shrugged carelessly, continuing his strut through the halls.
Lyra stared up at him with venom in her eyes before tugging him into an empty classroom, slamming the door shut. They stood there for a few beats, not saying a word as they stared at one another. Lyra's chest heaved as her lips bent downwards in a frustrated pout, annoyed with the way he was acting. She knew he was doing it to purposely screw her over; it was what Sirius did best. That didn't change the fact she couldn't tell him why she was lying; it could jeopardize the entire mission she and Regulus had.
"Is there a reason you're acting like this?" Lyra hissed, gesturing towards the door about them racing down the hallway, "Can't you let me have anything?"
"What were you doing with Regulus?" Sirius sibilated before laughing at her shocked face, "What? You think you can go on a date with my brother, and I won't find out?"
"It wasn't a date."
"Right, and what I saw last night was just a friendly conversation," Sirius mocked, his own face mirroring hers in a taunt, "How stupid do you think I am, Lyra?"
The use of her real name took the blonde aback. She wasn't used to hearing it uttered from his lips, and she didn't know how to react to it. The look in his onyx eyes was deadly, and the two combined were something out of Lyra's nightmare. She hadn't seen Sirius like this since he got into a quarrel with Lucius and Snape in Potions class. He was all huffy and fuming, and Lyra wanted nothing more than to douse him with water to cool him off.
"It wasn't a date," Lyra repeated, straightening her posture and giving him just as heavy of a look right back, "So get that out of your head."
"Then what was it, hm?" He prompted, hands on his hips, "Did you kiss?"
"What?"
"Well, you held hands," Sirius continued, earning another shocked look from the blonde, "Do you really think you can hide things from me?"
"What I do is none of your concern," Lyra scorned, "Who I hang out with has nothing to do with you. So get whatever complex you have out of your head; you have zero control over me, Sirius Black. So stop acting like you have a claim on me and get to decide what I do."
"A claim," Sirius parodied, "A claim? You wanna talk about someone who thinks they have a claim on you? Talk to the French boy toy of yours."
"Boy toy," she laughed, "If I'm not mistaken, you sound jealous, Sirius."
"Jealous?" Sirius scoffed, shaking his head, "No. No, I don't give a damn who you fuck, Lyra. What I care about is you using my brother."
"I'm not using Regulus," Lyra responded, offence clear in her voice, "We hung out once. And it wasn't even like that, Sirius!"
"I don't know what you're up to, Harpy," Sirius jeered, "But I'll figure it out."
Lyra sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as Sirius pushed past her, bumping his shoulder against hers as he stormed out. Lyra mumbled a few curse words before leaning her head back, trying to understand everything that had just happened. If she ever wanted to fix her relationship with Sirius, which she doesn't, there was no chance of that happening now. He still saw her as a whore who went through boys like they were nothing.
He even thought she'd stoop as low as using his brother. If it was truly romantic, Lyra would have ended things with Pierre. But now, she had a different goal for the end of this road. She'd admit, at first, she wanted more than anything for it to be Regulus writing the letters. Not just to spite Sirius, but because it would give her a name behind the writing. But now? There was something more meaningful in her life than dating or trying to figure out what Sirius Black's issue was. She would be a war hero, not some man-eater that Sirius and everyone else thinks she is.
Not taking another moment to dwell on it, Lyra turned and followed the tall man from the room. She stormed through the halls with a new heat in her step, heart racing. If her and Regulus's plan was going to work, she couldn't let the elder brother get to her. She had her mission, and she knew what she had to do.
No one messes with her best friends and gets away with it.